NGOs requested to ask for prosecution of torturers

[TamilNet, Monday, 26 June 2000, 16:50 GMT]An appeal has been made to non-governmental organizations to request the Attorney General to file cases against the alleged perpetrators of acts of torture, under the act passed in 1994, entitled "Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Act". Mr.K.Sivapalan, Legal Aid Officer made this appeal when speaking at a one-day seminar held today at Trincomalee Elephant House Harbor Room, to mark the UN International Day in support of Victims of Torture.

This seminar was organized by the Family Rehabilitation Center. Representatives of several non-governmental organizations in the district participated.

Mr.Sivapalan further said detainees are tortured to obtain confessions from them. However 99 percent of the confessions were being rejected in law courts stating they were obtained under duress.

However, the alleged perpetrators of acts of torture were not being charged by the Attorney General under the act passed in 1994. No cases had been filed under this Act No.22 of 1994 as yet. Non-governmental organizations should ask the Attorney General to take suitable action to ensure that all violations of the act are prosecuted, he said.

Dr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services in the North East Province spoke on the " Impact of Torture in Psycho Social Sense"

Mt.T.Thavasilingam, Chairman of the Trincomalee District Non-governmental Organizations Consortium inaugurated the seminar.